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3

Cape Petrel

(Daption capense)
Alternate name(s): "Pintado Petrel", "Cape Fulmar"; misnomer: "Cape Pigeon"
Size: 35-40 cm; wing span 80-90 cm
Weight: 350-550 g
Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Cape Petrel at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

ADULT

Sex unknown

Lateral view of a Cape Petrel (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Off Eaglehawk Neck, TAS, September 2021]

Lateral view of a Cape Petrel (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Off Eaglehawk Neck, TAS, September 2021]

Dorsal view of a Cape Petrel with its wings spread (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Off Eaglehawk Neck, TAS, September 2021]

Doral view of a Cape Petrel at take-off (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Off Eaglehawk Neck, TAS, September 2021]

Near-frontal view of a Cape Petrel in flight (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Southern Ocean, January 2005]

Lateral view of a Cape Petrel in flight (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Off Eaglehawk Neck, TAS, September 2021]

Lateral view of a Cape Petrel banking in flight (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Off Eaglehawk Neck, TAS, September 2021]

Near-dorsal view of a Cape Petrel in flight (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Off Eaglehawk Neck, TAS, September 2021]

Near-dorsal view of a Cape Petrel in flight (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Off Eaglehawk Neck, TAS, September 2021]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

View from above onto a group of three Cape Petrels in flight; the bird at the centre, with shorter primaries, may be a juvenile (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Southern Ocean, January 2005]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Nov - Mar Eggs: 1 Incubation period: 45 days Fledging age: ca. 55 days

Nest building: ? Incubation: Female & male Dependent care: Female & male

Cape Petrels nest in smaller colonies than other species of petrels. The nests are usually less than 1 km from the coast. If not built under overhanging rocks or in crevices, nearby rocks on flat ground are used for partial protection.

Nest

"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Rock crevice or bowl Material: Pebbles Height above ground: N/A

Pair of Cape Petrels defending its nest against a neighbour or intruder (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Windmill Islands, Antarctica, December 1993]

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size: 72 x 52 mm Colour: White Shape: Long tapered oval

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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